Concord committee violates state law

Tuesday

The office of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said the Concord Comprehensive Long Range Planning Committee violated the state's Open Meeting Law.

A Feb. 22 letter from Healey’s office to committee Co-Chairmen Elise Woodward and Gary Kleiman stated the committee created a subcommittee that did not comply with the law. The AG’s letter ordered the subcommittee to create minutes for all previous meetings, and should do so within 30 days of the committee’s receipt of the letter.

"I have no comment beyond what the letter states," Kleiman said. "We will comply with the attorney general."

Concord resident Tanya Gailus filed the complaint that two committee members formed a subcommittee to revise a draft survey, and the subcommittee was subject to the state’s Open Meeting Law.

The committee, according to the AG’s letter, said it didn’t form a subcommittee, because it asked for a single volunteer to help consultant Civic Moxie revise the draft survey, and, subsequently, another committee member offered to assist that volunteer.

The letter stated the AG’s office reviewed minutes and audio recordings of committee meetings that discussed revising the draft survey.

According to the letter, Woodward asked for volunteers for a “subcommittee,” and two committee members -- John Boynton and Barbara Morse -- stepped forward.

The legal sticking point, according to the letter, is the committee didn’t seek a single volunteer, but volunteers to work on the task.

According to state law, a subcommittee is a multiple-member body advising or making recommendations to a public body.